Shampooer with configured compressible foam applicating roller



Sept. 24, 1963 R. NELSON 3,104,413

SHAMPOOER WITH CONFIGURED COMPRESSIBLE FORM APPLICATING ROLLER FiledOct. 28, 1960 INVENTOR R/CHA RD L. NEL S 0N ATTORNEY United StatesPatent F 3,104,413 SHAMPOOER WITH CGNFIGURED COMPRES- SIBLE FGAMAPPLICATING ROLLER Richard L. Nelson, Battle Creek, Mich, assignor toBrooklyn Products, Brooklyn, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Get.28, 1960, Ser. No. 65,766 4 Claims. (Cl. 15529) The invention pertainsto a liquid applicator and particularly relates to a liquid applicatorincorporating brushing and scraping means wherein the device may beemployed to clean rugs, fabrics and similar articles by the combinationof a soaping and scrubbing operation.

The invention is directed to a cleaning device which may be held in theoperators hand and is particularly adaptable for cleaning small surfacessuch as automobile upholstery and localized areas of rugs and carpets.It is well known in the cleaning arts that a combination of soap, orother cleaning compounds, and a brushing action provided good cleaningresults and the invention is directed to a simple device employing theseprinciples which may be very easily operated without the operatorbecoming soiled or wetting his hands.

Liquid detergents of superior cleaning characteristics are now availableupon the market and many of these detergents provide the best cleaningaction when in the form of foam or suds and it is an object of theinvention to provide a small, hand-held cleaning device or shampooeremploying liquid detergents wherein foam or suds may be readilyproduced.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning deviceemploying a liquid detergent which is capable of cleaning rugs or afabric without unduly wetting the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid applicatorwherein a cellular compressible roller is employed to create a foam froma liquid detergent and brush means are employed to work the foam intothe article being cleaned. The foaming and brushing being simultaneouslyaccomplished upon the invention being moved back and forth across thearticle being treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device using aliquid detergent wherein positive means are provided for feeding thedetergent to a roller which creates a foam and means are utilized toevenly distribute the detergent over the roller.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a liquid applicatorwhich may be employed for purposes other than cleaning, for instance,applying paint in the manner similar to that of conventional paintrollers.

These and other objects of the invention arising from the relationshipand details of an embodiment thereof will be apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an applicator in accord with theinvention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view of the invention, taken alongsection IIII of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the body member, with the roller, shaft anddistributor strip therefor removed, as taken along III-III of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the applicator of the invention asinverted wherein the scraper is removing the foam from the article beingcleaned and FIG. 5 is a detail view of the valve element employed withthe invention.

The general appearance of the device of the invention will be bestappreciated from FIGS. 1 and 4 wherein the invention basically consistsof a body member having a roller 12 journaled therein and a reservoirgenerally in- Patented Sept. 24, 1963 dicated at 14 is afixed to thebody member and serves the dual purpose of containing the cleaningliquid and also, functions as a handle to be gripped by the operator.

The body member 10 is preferably composed of a molded synthetic materialof relatively rigid and tough physical characteristics. The body memberis provided with a concave cylindrical recess -16 which extendssubstantially the entire width thereof and the recess is defined at itsends by the laterally extending end portions 18. It will be apparentfrom FIGS. 1 and 2 that the body member encompasses less than of theroller 12 and a scraping or blade portion 20 is formed on the bodymember extending radially from the axis of the cylindrical recess 16.The scraper blade 26 is preferably integrally formed upon the bodymember and is enforced at the ends by the web portions 22. A pluralityof brush bristles 24 are molded into the :body member, portion 26 andextend therefrom as to define a brushing edge extending the width of the'body member. The brush bristles 24 are shown as formed in a pluralityof groups, FIG. 3, however, the bristles may be arranged in otherpatterns into the body member.

A plurality of substantially rectangular recesses 28 and '30 are definedin the cylindrical recess 16 of the body member and substantially extendthe entire width thereof, FIG. 3. The recess 30 is of lesser width thanthe recess 28 and is formed concentric to the larger recess whereby thelongitudinal sides of the recesses will be parallel. An elongated stripof-plastic 32 is fitted within the larger recess '28 and is sodimensioned as to be somewhat loosely associated therewith along itslongitudinal edges or portions of the-edges as to permit fluid to flowaround ,portions of the strip 32 throughout its length. Upon the strip32 being within the recess 28, FIG. 2, it willl be appreciated that therecess 30 defines a passageway extending the width of the entire bodymember and fluid within the passage may leak or pass around the strip 32throughout its length as to be distributed throughout the width of thebody recess 16.

The sudsing, foaming and application of the cleaning liquid upon thearticle to be cleaned is accomplished through the roller 12 which isrotatably and concentrical- 1y located within the recess 16. A roller 12may be mounted upon a shaft 34- which is rotatably journ-aled withinholes defined in the body end portions 18. The shaft 34 may beconstructed of a pair of semicylindrical portions of the same materialas the body member, if desired. The roller member 12 is preferablyformed of a compressible cellular tough material, such as foamedpolyurethane and is of a generally cylindrical configuration having awidth substantially-equal to that of the body member recess 16. Theouter surface of the roller 12 is formed with a plurality oflongitudinally extending concave recesses 36 which intersect each otheras to define a plurality of ridges or ribs as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2. It will be appreciated that the ridges are of relatively sharpdefined configuration and upon rolling the roller over the surface to betreated, the ridges will compress and the liquid detergent upon theroller will be worked by the squeezing and expanding of the cells of theroller to produce a foam which will deposit upon the article beingtreated. When the device is being used, it will be held in the positionof FIG. 2. such that the liquid detergent Within the recess 30 will flowaround the strip 32 and will be wiped from the housing portions adjacentthe slot 28 by the roller ridges and thereby deposited upon the roller.

The body member 10 is provided with a central boss element 38 having athreaded bore therein and a flexible walled container or bottle 40, suchas is commonly termed a squeeze bottle and are usually constructed ofstyrene 3 or similar synthetic material having a threaded neck which maybe threaded into the bore of the boss 38. The body member is providedwith a central opening 42, FIG. 3, which communicates with the recess 30and the threaded bore of the boss portion 38. A valve element 44, FIG.5, is located within the threaded bore of the boss and is of acircularconfiguration having a small central slot 46 extending therethrough. Thevalve element 44. is formed of rubber or similar material and ismaintained in position by the end of the neck of the bottle 40 whichcompresses and holds the valve by its peripheral portions against thebody member 10. The purpose of the valve element 44 is to require adefinite collapsing of the reservoir to force the liquid detergenttherein into the recess 30. The valve slot 46 will normally close itselfand prevent the fluid from flowing from the reservoir unless thepressure in the reservoir is sufficient to force the detergent throughthe restricted slot opening as When the operator squeezes the. bottle todistribute additional detergent upon the roller.

In operation, the bottle 40 is filled with a detergent and watersolution and is threaded into the bore of the boss 33 as shown in theassembled relation of FIG. 2. The operator will then squeeze the bottle40 a couple of times to force the liquid detergent into the recess 30'which will thereupon drip down upon the roller 12. The roller and brushare then positioned upon the article to be cleaned, as shown in FIG. 2and moved back and forth thereacross rapidly wherein the rolling actionof the roller will cause a suds to occur due to the compression anddecompression of the cells within the roller and the action of theridges and grooves 36, as explained above. While the roller is beingrotated back and forth upon the surface to be treated the bristles 24are maintained in engagement with the surface being treated as to workthe suds into the rug or similar article and agitate the soap therein toprovide a thorough cleaning action. An occasional squeeze of bottle 40will provide detergent as needed.

After the desired scrubbing by the bristles and application of detergentis accomplished, the operator rotates the device 180 to the positionshown in FIG. 4 and by drawing the scraper blade 20 over that portionpreviously brushed and sudsed, the scraper will collect and pick up thesuds which remain. A cloth may then be used to remove the suds from thescraper blade. In that the above described action may-be very quicklydone and the suds are relatively slow to wet the fabric of a rug orcarpet, quickly removing the suds from the article cleaned will preventexcessive wetting thereof.

In addition to being used as a cleaning device, it is contemplated thatthe invention may be used to apply paint upon flat surfaces in a mannerof conventional paint rollers. When used in such application, there isno need for the scraper blade and brush bristles, of course, and anembodiment of the invention for this purpose would not have thesecomponents formed thereon. The paint would then be placed the liquidreservoir and applied to the roller as needed.

It is appreciated that various modifications to the invention may beapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope thereof and it is intended that the invent-ion be defined onlyby the following claims.

, Iclaim:

-1. A substantially cylindrical homogeneous liquid ap plication rollerfor producing a cleansing foam formed of a compressible cellular foampolyurethane material having an outer peripheral surface, a plurality ofparallel, longitudinally extending compressible ridges integrallydefined on said outer surface, said ridges being defined by a pluralityof parallel longitudinally extending inmounted. on said body memberdefining a brushing edge,

said bristles being disposed upon said body member whereby said rollerand said brushing edge simultaneously engage the surface to be treated,a flexible wall liquid reservoir attached to said body member, anelongated, open-sided recess defined in said body member adjacent andopening toward said roller and extending parallel to the axis thereof,loosely fitting cover means as-' sociated with said recess, said recessand cover means defining a liquid distributor for said roller, a passagedefined in said body member interconnecting said reservoir and saidrecess, a resilient valve disc interposed in said passage, and aself-closing opening defined in said valve disc adapted to permit liquidto flow therethrough upon a predetermined pressure being produced insaid reser- 3. A liquid applicator and cleaner comprising incombination, a body member of generally semicylindrical configurationdefining a generally semicylindrical recess, first and second axiallyextending edges defined on said body member constituting the peripheraltermination of said body member, a projection defined on said bodymemher on the opposite side thereof with respect to said recess,agroove' defined in said body member axially extending substantially thelength thereof and adjacent said recess throughout its length, a looselyfitting cover strip enclosing said groove whereby a limited clearance isdefined between said strip and said recess that liquid may slowly flowpast said strip into said recess, a bore defined in said projection, aflexibly walled reservoir aflixed to said projection in communicationwith said bore, a passage defined in said body member interconnectingsaid bore and groove, a resilient valve disc interposed between saidbore and passage, a self-closing opening defined in said valve disc, acylindrical cellular roller rotatably mounted on said body within saidrecess formed of a foamed compressible material, a plurality of easilycompressible longitudinally extending ridges defined on the periphery ofsaid roller of the material thereof, bristles mounted on said bodymember adjacent saidfirst edge disposed adjacent said roller and ascraper blade definedon said body member adjacent said second edgeextending away from said roller.

4. In a liquid applicator and cleaner as in claim 3 wherein said rollerridges are defined by a plurality ofparallellongitudinally extendingintersecting concave" grooves, adjacent grooves intersecting at asharply definedlineconstituting the termination of said ridges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain May 29, 19 57

1. A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL HOMOGENEOUS LIQUID APPLICATION ROLLER FORPRODUCING A CLEANSING FOAM FORMED OF A COMPRESSIBLE CELLULAR FOAMPOLYURETHANE MATERIAL HAVING AN OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE, A PLURALITY OFPARALLEL, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING COMPRESSIBLE RIDGES INTEGRALLYDEFINED ON SAID OUTER SURFACE, SAID RIDGES BEING DEFINED BY A PLURAITYOF PARALLEL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING INTERSECTING CONCAVE GROOVES,ADJACENT GROOVES INTERSECTING AT A SHARPLY DEFINED LINE CONSITUTING THEPERIPERAL TERMINATING EDGE OF SAID RIDGES.